why not gerbals

[p8ntballrman]

I know that ball pythons will eat them and they are easier to bread and are easier to clean up for and don't stink near as bad as rats do..... so why don't people use them when breeding ball pythons?

[reptilebaby]

Probably because they're more expensive, and smaller than rats.

I am raising aft's, rats, and mice. I try to keep all mine on f/t but some won't eat anything but live.

[AGoodwin]

they are also able to cause damage more easily than mice and smaller rats.

[sschind]

They are not easier to breed in my experience (never tried breading them though:) They have smaller litters, they don't get as large,plus they grow slower. Other than the smell and the less water they drink I can't think of a good reason why to bother if you needed a lot of them. If someone with one or two snakes wanted to try a trio though I suppose it would work out.

[hhmoore]

SOME ball pythons that develop a taste for gerbils (no "a" in the word) won't eat other things....at least that is the basic explanation - I think it would be more accurate to say that imported BPs that won't take mice or rats will often eat gerbils. It isn't that they won't go back to mice and rats, since they were never eating them in the first place. I have had some picky feeders, most of which would readily take gerbils. With CB animals that will feed on other prey, I would probably recommend against getting them started on something that is less commonly available (and significantly more expensive).

[MrBig]

What he said. :iagree:

[RobNJ]

It's just not economically efficient to breed gerbils for feeders as it is mice, rats, or ASF's. Gerbils have much smaller litters on average, and longer gestation periods, so the money spent raising/breeding them would result in lower and less frequent output.

[Focal]

so why don't people use them when breeding ball pythons?

Because ball pythons and gerbils cannot breed together. I think the python would eat the gerbil before the bred.

:D

[p8ntballrman]

Thank you all.... some good points made... I think I'll stick to Rats for breading

Focal - new morphs are hard to come up with..... guess I'll have to put the " Ratball" python on hold until more research can be done...... Maybe Artificial insemination ?? but the last time I tried that the petting zoo told me I wasn't allowed back.... something about scaring the childern:shrug01:

[ReeLCrazy]

Because ball pythons and gerbils cannot breed together. I think the python would eat the gerbil before the bred.

:D
LMAO! Now that was funny

[WingedWolf]

Now, ASFs have all of the points you were just making for gerbils, plus they are very prolific. Some breeders ARE using ASFs. However...

ASFs take longer to grow up, because they don't get as large as rats.
ASFs, like gerbils, are NOT a domesticated species--they are flighty, destructive, and illegal in some places, just as gerbils are.

So, that's why. ;)

[WingedWolf]

Now, ASFs have all of the points you were just making for gerbils, plus they are very prolific. Some breeders ARE using ASFs. However...

ASFs take longer to grow up, because they don't get as large as rats.
ASFs, like gerbils, are NOT a domesticated species--they are flighty, destructive, and illegal in some places, just as gerbils are.

So, that's why. ;)

[reptilebaby]

I have the ASF's because they DON'T tame down like the rats and mice. lol I know I won't get attached to them. And I hate trying to breed normal rats cause they just don't have enough babies as often as mice and ASFs do. I keep my balls that will eat f/t on mice and rats, but the ones who won't generally get live mice or ASFs.

[Amelanistic Orca]

I will say this only. You WILL watch your 'finickiest' balls smack with ferocity you didn't know they had for a Gerbil!

[RobNJ]

I will say this only. You WILL watch your 'finickiest' balls smack with ferocity you didn't know they had for a Gerbil!

I'm almost tempted to see this through Tom. I have one sporadic(at best) feeder...sometimes she'll eat a rat, sometimes a mouse, never an ASF.

[hhmoore]

I've had a couple of BPs that wouldn't touch ASFs or gerbils...but most take them eagerly.
Admittedly, though, I have never offered live gerbils.

[Amelanistic Orca]

I'm almost tempted to see this through Tom. I have one sporadic(at best) feeder...sometimes she'll eat a rat, sometimes a mouse, never an ASF.

I'd love to hear the success story Rob! Get er dunn. A good friend of mine turned me on to this.. Uhhh huuummm.... Andrew... Where you at? And yes, there are some Balls that just love their Norway's, always my favorites that don't require 'special' rodents. I was blown away on my 'trials' in regards to this question...

[RobNJ]

I'd love to hear the success story Rob! Get er dunn. A good friend of mine turned me on to this.. Uhhh huuummm.... Andrew... Where you at? And yes, there are some Balls that just love their Norway's, always my favorites that don't require 'special' rodents. I was blown away on my 'trials' in regards to this question...

I picked up a pair of gerbils the other day from a local guy that breeds them...I probably won't see any babies for 5-6 weeks, and won't have any of appropriate size to feed my bad feeder for another month or so, but I will keep this updated on how she takes to them.

On a note of relevance, apparently the gerbils we're familiar with in captivity are generally not native to the ball python's native range, but Mongolia. Being that african gerbils and mongolian gerbils are closely related-and that I'm feeding a captive bred snake-results, or lack thereof, should not be affected(I would assume).

[reptilebaby]

I know someone who breeds hamsters for their snake. I could never do that.